


kiss me on this cold december night

by acrookedsaint



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Jeronica Secret Santa 2019, Little bit of angst, but a whole lot of love, choni all the way!!, christmas fic!!, jughead mopes, sweet pea jokes, veronica is a munchkin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:27:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21943597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acrookedsaint/pseuds/acrookedsaint
Summary: ‘Rally the Serpents,’ says Cheryl. ‘We’re going to create our own Christmas miracle.’‘Whatever you say babe,’ says Toni, and after Cheryl hangs up, she starts making the calls.—Or, Jughead and Veronica find themselves a Christmas miracle, with some help from those who wish they'd wake up and smell the mistletoe.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper (minor), Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz, Jughead Jones/Veronica Lodge
Comments: 8
Kudos: 56





	1. step one: make the plan

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oswiin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oswiin/gifts).



> 🎄MERRY CHRISTMAS!🎄
> 
> This is for the wonderful and absolutely lovely rhaenyra_snow!! I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it (after I stopped procrastinating lol).
> 
> As always, all my love to veronicassadboi, who betaed this and generally gave me the will to write. I love you!!

Snowflakes litter the sidewalks as Veronica returns to her apartment after class. She’s exhausted in more ways than one. Class had been okay. _She_ , for the most part was okay.

Except for the post. She’d seen the notification come up in the corner of her eye in class. She’d nearly taken her phone out to exclaim over it, but she’d maintained her self-control. 

But in the end, she’d only made it out to the hallway before she’d whipped her phone out and pulled up her Instagram notifications. 

And there it was. The photo of her nightmares. She’d actually, _li_ _terally_ had nightmares about this day and how they would announce it. But she’d always thought she would have more time. More time to prepare. More time to deny the inevitable.

But that’s the thing about the inevitable. It’s unavoidable.

* * *

Jughead is on his third drink by the time Veronica joins him at the bar. His head feels foggy already - he’s a lightweight after only two semesters at NYU. Sweet Pea thinks it’s hilarious. Jughead does not.

‘You saw it,’ says Veronica. It’s not a question. It’s a statement, a fact. She’s right. Jughead did see it. That’s why he’s here, in what is quite possibly the worst bar in New York. It reminds him of the White Wyrm back home. He’s not sure what that says about the White Wyrm.

‘Why do you think I’m here?’ he asks. ‘Drowning my sorrows?’

Veronica snorts. ‘You practically live here, Torombolo. You’re always drowning your sorrows. I can’t figure out if it’s because you actually like this place or because Toni gives you free drinks.’

‘It can’t be both?’ Jughead asks, but he knows that Veronica’s about to broach upon the subject he’s avoiding desperately. ‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ he says, as a preemptive strike.

‘We have to,’ replies Veronica, who is nothing if not predictable. ‘We can’t let these feelings of disgust fester.’

‘Anger is probably more appropriate at the moment,’ Jughead says and he almost misses Veronica rolling her eyes at him. ‘Or you know, we could be disgusted.’

Veronica nods empathetically. ‘It’s a completely gratuitous photo. I nearly threw up just looking at it.’

‘I did throw up,’ Jughead says. ‘I barfed into the infested toilet.’

‘You two,’ Toni declares, peering at them over the bar, ‘are utterly pathetic. And quit throwing yourselves a pity party. It’s not a good look.’

Jughead and Veronica fix her with twin glares. ‘You don’t know what it’s like,’ snaps Jughead, already tired from a conversation that hasn’t yet happened. ‘You don’t know what it’s like to love someone who’s in love with someone else and doesn’t even know it.’

Veronica nods empathatically. ‘He’s right, Toni. It super duper sucks.’

Toni frowns at them. ‘That doesn’t make you any less pathetic. Veronica, are you _already_ drunk?’

Veronica blinks guiltily. ‘I kept a flask in my purse just for this moment.’

Toni rolls her eyes. ‘No drinks for you then. And Jones, I’m cutting you off. You’ve been here since 3.’ She takes Jughead’s drink from him and levels a glare. Jughead tries in vain to snatch back his drink but he’s clumsy and she’s quick. ‘The two of you need to sort out your issues. It’s not going to go away. But it’s also not going to get better if all you is complain about it.’

Jughead hears the words but he can’t make them make sense. He _should_ be angry. He has a right to be angry. 

Beside him, Veronica sighs. She looks like a sulky toddler. He doesn’t have to take a glance at his reflection in the bar mirror to know that he does to. 

‘Come on,’ he sighs. ‘Let’s go talk about our feelings. It could help, you know.’

‘Whatever,’ grumbles Veronica, but she follows him to a booth and slumps down opposite him. ‘I just hate that we had to find out this way. Couldn’t they have at least called us before they posted that stupid picture?’

Jughead groans. ‘Maybe they did call us but because this bar has shitty reception we missed it.’

And then Veronica’s phone rings. Jughead knows because he’d made her change her ringtone to ‘Barbie Girl’ and it blares out loud and clear in the vacant bar. 

Veronica looks at her phone and her face turns white. ‘It’s Betty,’ she whispers. ‘I don’t think I can answer it.’

Jughead looks at her in surprise. This is Veronica, who he’s always known to be a stone pillar, unmovable. But now, at the simple thought of talking to her best friend in light of what’s happened she’s turned into a quivering mess.

He makes a split second decision. He takes the phone and answers the call.

‘Hey V!’ Betty’s voice is falsely bright, and Veronica is looking at Jughead in shock. Jughead motions for her to go talk to Toni - to relax or _something_.

‘Actually,’ he says, ‘it’s Jughead.’

‘Oh,’ says Betty, and she sounds surprised. ‘I did call Veronica, didn’t I?’

‘Yep,’ says Jughead, popping the ‘p’. ‘She’s in the bathroom so I answered.’

At the bar, Veronica has her head in her hands as Toni pats her soothingly on the back. Jughead winces internally.

‘Well I was just calling to -’

‘Tell us about the engagement?’ Jughead interrupts, and it’s the first time he’s said the word aloud, actually acknowledged its existence as a fact rather than an inevitable possibility. 

‘Yes,’ said Betty. ‘But I presume you saw the Instagram post?’

‘Indeed we did,’ says Jughead, and over the line he hears Betty swallow.

‘I didn’t know that you and Veronica were such good friends,’ Betty says, and her voice sounds cold, almost angry. 

Jughead frowns. ‘Of course we’re friends, Betts. We go to the same school, we have the same friends, we hang around in the same places. What did you think would happen? That we’d just avoid each other for the rest of our lives?’

‘Of course not,’ says Betty, sounding strangely stilted. ‘I just didn’t think that the two of you had that much in common.’

Jughead wants to laugh. Truthfully, he has far more in common with Veronica than he ever did with Betty, and _that_ relationship lasted for most of his high school career. ‘Well,’ he says. ‘We are.’

There is an awkward pause. Jughead remembers a time when he and Betty could talk for hours upon hours about just about anything. And yet now all they have is silence and nothing to say. Something unfixable has been broken, Jughead realises. He’s not the same, and neither, it appears is Betty.

‘Is Veronica back from the bathroom yet?’ says Betty, clearly at the end of her rope. 

Jughead glances over at where Veronica sits at the bar, now being plied with ice cream by Toni. He raises a questioning eyebrow at Toni, who shakes her head vigorously. 

‘She has food poisoning,’ he says. ‘She is spewing her guts up right about now.’

‘Oh,’ says Betty, not sounding like she believes him at all. ‘Well give her my best, won’t you? Archie and I miss her a lot. And we miss you too.’

‘Of course,’ says Jughead. ‘We miss you guys too.’

It’s not exactly a lie, but it’s not the truth either. Jughead and Veronica spend the majority of their time actively _not_ thinking about Betty and Archie’s perfect little life in Riverdale. There’s no time for missing anyone.

‘Alright then,’ says Betty. ‘Merry Christmas, Jughead.’

‘Merry Christmas, Betty,’ Jughead replies, and he hears the click that means Betty has hung up. He feels different, somehow. His finger itch to write something, to describe this moment in great detail, to preserve it forever.

Because this moment is the moment he’s reached the fifth stage of grief: acceptance. 

Jughead smiles. Veronica’s pouring whiskey onto her ice cream as Toni watches disapprovingly. Clearly Veronica is still in the depression stage. 

‘How’d it go?’ asks Toni, sounding as if she doesn’t particularly care. ‘You didn’t break down in sobs, so I presume it’s alright?’

‘It went well,’ says Jughead, picking up a spoon and digging into Veronica’s ice cream. She leans her head against his arm and he pats her on the head. ‘Although she seemed surprised that Veronica and I are friends.’

‘I wonder why,’ says Toni sarcastically, rolling her eyes. ‘She needs to get over herself.’

‘Why doesn’t Betty want us to be friends?’ Veronica asks, blinking owlishly up at him.

‘I have no idea,’ Jughead replies, booping her on the nose and laughing when she scrunches her face up. ‘Maybe she’s afraid that she’ll drop down to the second best friend placing.’

Toni glares at him. ‘You’re kidding, right?’

Jughead frowns at her. ‘Of course not. Why would I be kidding?’

‘Because she’s _jealous_ ,’ says Toni, sounding exasperated. 

‘Why would she be jealous?’ asks Veronica, stirring her spoon until her ice cream is whiskey flavoured slush. 

Toni sighs. ‘If you can’t figure it out by yourselves, then I can’t help you.’

Veronica pouts mournfully at the remains of her ice cream. ‘I don’t think I want to eat this.’

‘Come on munchkin,’ Jughead says, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. ‘Let’s go get hot chocolate.’

‘I want marshmallows,’ Veronica replies, wrapping her arm around his waist. 

As they turn to go, Jughead thinks he hears Toni mutter something that sounds suspiciously like ‘oblivious idiots’, but when he turns around, she's smiling brightly at him. He rolls his eyes and fosters the Lodge heiress out into the snow.

* * *

Watching Jughead and Veronica leaving the bar, Toni shakes her head. She picks up her phone and dials Cheryl.

‘Hey babe,’ she says. ‘It’s getting so, _so_ much worse. I think we might have to call in reinforcements.’

‘This is about Jughead and Veronica, isn’t it?’ asks Cheryl knowingly. ‘I refuse to believe that they’re _that_ idiotic.’

‘Believe it,’ replies Toni. ‘Betty called Veronica about the engagement earlier and Jughead answered.’

‘Interesting,’ says Cheryl. ‘But that doesn’t necessarily mean anything -’

‘She was surprised that Jug and V are friends,’ interrupts Toni. ‘She said that to Jughead.’

‘Still,’ says Cheryl, ‘Cousin Cooper being jealous isn’t exactly anything new.’

‘That’s not why it’s getting worse,’ says Toni, getting excited. ‘When I told them that Betty was jealous, the reason they could come up for as to why was that Betty must be worried about Jughead being better friends with Veronica that she is.’

There is silence on the other end of the line. Toni smiles smugly. She’s gotten her point across.

‘Oh. My. God.’ 

‘Yep.’

‘Babe,’ says Cheryl, sounding worried, ‘we actually need to hold an intervention. I didn’t think it would go this far. I thought we had more time!’

‘I know,’ says Toni soothingly. ‘I know. But time’s up. We need nothing short of a Christmas miracle.’

‘Rally the Serpents,’ says Cheryl. ‘We’re going to create our own Christmas miracle.’

‘Whatever you say babe,’ says Toni, and after Cheryl hangs up, she starts making the calls.

* * *

They are gathered in Toni and Cheryl’s apartment, and they all look very out of place. Cheryl wonders why absolutely _none_ of them have ditched the leather jackets that mean nothing in New York City. Old habits die hard, she supposes, and glares at Sweet Pea until he removes his boots from their place on the top of her oak table.

‘We have a situation,’ says Toni. ‘It involves Jughead and Veronica.’

Sweet Pea snorts. ‘Have they gotten their heads out of their arses yet?’

Cheryl and Toni exchange a glance. ‘Not exactly,’ says Cheryl. 

Fangs frowns. ‘Topaz, you said there’d been a development.’

Toni swallows. ‘There has been. I take it that none of you check Instagram?’

‘Of course they don’t,’ says Cheryl, eyeing the snowy puddle pooling under Sweet Pea’s boots. ‘They’re heathens.’

Kevin pulls out his phone in one swift motion. ‘I usually get notifications, but I was in class this morning so I’ve had it turned off completely.’

Fangs peers over Kevin’s shoulder. ‘Betty and Archie finally got engaged. Big deal.’

‘It is a big deal,’ snaps Cheryl. ‘Betty called Veronica.’

‘Let me guess,’ Sweet Pea drawls. ‘Ronnie had a breakdown and Jughead’s adding it to his novel.’

Cheryl rolls her eyes, ready to have a good old screaming match, but Toni touches her lightly on the arm. ‘I got this babe,’ she whispers, and Cheryl smiles, once again at peace.

‘Serpents,’ she says, and Kevin blanches at the word, but Toni ignores him. ‘The time is now. We’ve been forced to endure stupidity for an entire year now, at the hands of our supposed friends. We have to make a stand. We have to, and I’m quoting Cheryl here, “create our own Christmas miracle”.’

There is silence as Sweet Pea, Fangs and Kevin stare at Toni in what Cheryl naturally presumes is awed silence. Then they all break out laughing. 

‘Seriously?’ says Sweet Pea, wiping his eyes. ‘Did you practice that speech in the mirror Topaz?’

Toni groans. ‘Guys, I’m being serious. Jones and Ronnie are really starting to get on my nerves. Today Jughead literally booped Veronica on the nose and called her munchkin. If that’s not true love shit then I don’t know what is.’

There is a silence. 

Then Sweet Pea says ‘ _munchkin_?’ in an incredulous tone that makes Fangs and Kevin snort. Cheryl rolls her eyes at Toni, who desperately tries to restore order.

Then Kevin speaks up. 

‘So what’s the plan?’

‘What?’ Toni asks, surprise covering her face.

‘What do you want us to do?’ says Fangs, backing Kevin up. ‘I mean, we are trying to create a Christmas miracle, right?’

Cheryl claps her hands and jumps up and down on the spot. ‘You’ll help?’

‘Duh,’ says Sweet Pea. ‘I’ve been wanting to pull one over on Jones since high school. And even though Ronnie might be an actual angel, she deserves to be happy, even if it is with Jughead. Who, by the way, stinks.’

‘I agree,’ says Kevin. ‘Veronica deserves the world. And while I have no doubt that Jughead will _try_ to give it to her, emphasis on _try_ : he stinks.’

‘He makes her happy,’ argues Toni. ‘Happier than she’s been in a really long time. Since Archie probably.’

Cheryl snorts. ‘Was she ever _really_ happy with Archie though? I mean between the whole prison thing, and the bear attack, and being convicted of murder...it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.’

‘You make a good point,’ murmurs Kevin, almost to himself. He sits up straight. ‘I’m in.’

Sweet Pea rolls his eyes as Toni claps her hands. ‘Seriously, Keller?’

‘What?’ snaps Kevin. ‘I believe in love. And besides - it’s Christmas. That should be reason enough.’

‘Exactly,’ says Fangs. ‘You want to cyrano these two idiots? I’m in too. I need something festive to spike up this season.’

Sweet Pea rolls his eyes. ‘Alright,’ he says, giving Cheryl the stink eye. ‘Let’s do it. It’s not like any of us have actual lives anyway.’

Cheryl smiles, rubbing her hands together in glee. Beside her, Toni is vibrating from the excitement.

‘Okay,’ she says, grasping Toni’s hand. ‘Here’s what we’re going to do.’


	2. step two: execute the plan

The plan is this: happen upon Veronica and Jughead and bring them together in very normal, not-at-all-planned ways. And keep doing it. And hope that they don’t notice. And, eventually, lure them underneath the mistletoe where they can finally realise their undying love for one another. Play Michael Buble in the background to set the mood.

That kind of thing. 

Cheryl’s very proud of her plan. She’s got it all down to the last meticulous detail. She knows what time Veronica’s going to finish class. She what time Jughead finishes his shift at the local bookstore. And she knows, most of all, how to get them exactly the right amount of drunk that kissing underneath mistletoe won’t seem outrageous, or even a very bad idea. 

Toni is very proud of her. Cheryl’s been lost since she came to New York - she’d come for Toni, after all, so that she could pursue a course in photography at NYU. 

But now, with the prospect of tricking their best friends into admitting that they like each other - Cheryl’s in her element. 

And so Toni is in hers. 

The Serpents are still gathered around the kitchen table three hours later, with Cheryl articulating every little detail of their cyrano. 

‘We need to be precise,’ she says. ‘And we need to also be completely normal, so that no one, _especially_ not Veronica and Jughead, notices that we’re doing things a little out of sorts.’

She pauses, for what Toni’s fairly sure is dramatic effect. 

‘We also need to distract them from their everyday lives - or perhaps it’d be better to shove Cousin Cooper’s engagement in their faces.’ Cheryl pauses, genuinely pondering the pros and cons of constantly mentioning the happy couple. 

‘Fangs and I can take Jones,’ offers Sweet Pea, seemingly eager to appear useful. ‘He’s easily annoyed by us, but at the end of the day he’s more likely to come for a drink with us than with Kevin.’

‘Hey!’ exclaims Kevin, put there’s no heat behind the words. ‘I wanted to take Veronica anyway. It’s been too long since we’ve had a girls day out. Cheryl, you should come too!’

Cheryl grins. ‘That does sound nice. Toni, can you man the bar, ready for the arrival of our star crossed lovers?’

Toni smiles. ‘Absolutely.’

‘Then it’s go time. Everyone put your hands in.’

They do so, with complaining from Sweet Pea, and a nudge in his ribs from Fangs, enthusiasm from Kevin and Toni. 

Cheryl fixes them with the famous Blossom stare. ‘We’re going to create our very own Christmas miracle people. And we are _not_ going to screw this up.’

Toni gives everyone her best cheerleader smile. She hopes that this works out - mainly because she doesn’t want to have to deal with a mopey Jughead and a desperate-to-prove-she’s-fine Veronica anymore.

Toni sighs. Now fixing _that_ would be the real Christmas miracle.

* * *

Jughead frowns at his laptop. The words aren’t flowing properly today - in fact they aren’t flowing at all. His fingers feel numb - and not from the cold. He hasn’t been able to write since he took Betty’s phone call, since Veronica had slurped hot chocolate slumped on his shoulder while crying silently. Even Michael Buble playing in the cafe hadn’t been enough to cheer her up. 

He hasn’t been able to write since Archie sent him a text a month ago, telling him that he was planning to propose to Betty. Jughead had seen the text and gone out drinking almost immediately. He’d thought he was over the whole Betty/Archie thing, but the text - which had only read: _hey jug, i want to propose to betty. is that cool with you?_ , had been keeping him up at night, mainly because he’d been too much of a coward to answer it.

He’d been pondering over this matter - all it took was a simple _go for it!_ And he would never have to worry about feeling anything but happiness for Betty and Archie ever again.

But Jughead knows, deep down, that he likes the suffering. He likes being the guy who’s been hurt, because he knows how to do that. He’s _good_ at that. 

And the reason he hasn’t moved on from Betty? The _real_ reason?

Betty’s safe. He doesn’t love her, so she’s safe. She’s in a relationship with someone else, so she’s safe. He hates that he has to stay where it’s safe.

Veronica isn’t safe.

He’s been thinking that a lot lately, actually. Probably too much. 

He doesn’t want to think about why. 

Jughead sighs. He’s on his fourth cup of coffee. It’s ten o’clock in the morning. He hasn’t written anything of good quality in the good three hours that he’s been here. 

‘Yo, Jones,’ comes Sweet Pea’s voice over his shoulder, and for once Jughead is glad for the interruption. ‘You want to come get drunk?’

Normally Jughead would scowl and turn back to his laptop in solidarity. Or point out that it’s _way_ too early to get drunk.

But lately, he’s been enjoying the taste of alcohol on his tongue, the numbness that it brings to his body - and if he’s numb, then he doesn’t have to remember he can’t write.

And he doesn’t have to remember what’s safe and what isn’t. 

‘Sure,’ he hears himself saying, and when he turns around, Sweet Pea is looking at him with confused eyes. He’s never said yes to one of Sweet Pea’s invitations before.

‘Okay,’ says Sweet Pea, drawing out the ‘y’ sound. He looks suspicious - clearly thinking it would take a bit more than the simple question he’d asked. ‘We’re meeting Fangs there.’

‘Cool,’ replies Jughead packing up his things and leaving his tip on the table. Sweet Pea’s still looking at him with that same glare - as if he can’t quite figure out Jughead’s motivations.

These looks continue when they arrive at the bar, and soon Fangs and Toni are in on them too. Jughead, for the most part ignores them, choosing instead to focus all of his energy on drowning his sorrows in the cheap beer that Toni supplies. 

But soon these looks get too much - the Serpents are definitely plotting in low voices. He’s about to seriously consider giving up and going back to his horrible writing when Veronica and Kevin walk in, followed shortly after by Cheryl. 

Jughead has never been so glad to see someone in his life. 

He’s so relieved that he doesn’t catch the triumphant glances that Sweet Pea and Toni exchange behind his back. 

‘Hey,’ murmurs Veronica, when he sits down opposite her in one of the bar’s more dingy booths. ‘Have you noticed any weird behaviour lately?’

‘From who?’ asks Jughead, even though the answer is yes.

‘Our friends,’ says Veronica. ‘Cheryl and Kevin took me out today and talked about you the entire time.’

‘Weird,’ says Jughead. ‘Sweet Pea, Fangs and Toni have been giving me weird looks all afternoon. ‘And I’m pretty sure that they’re planning something. They’ve been whispering all afternoon.’

‘So were Cheryl and Kevin,’ replies Veronica. ‘They helped me pick out an outfit for the Christmas Eve party and when I came out of the changing room, they looked thick as thieves.’ 

‘Hmmm,’ says Jughead, glancing over at where their five friends are clustered together, clearly scheming. ‘They have been acting stranger than usual - ever since the photo and the phone call, I think.’

‘You’re right,’ says Veronica, and then switches subjects so fast that Jughead nearly does a double take. ‘Are you going to the Christmas Eve party?’

Jughead frowns. Veronica looks almost shy. ‘I wasn’t planning to,’ he replies, and sees her face fall, just for a second, before she becomes a picture of indifference. ‘But,’ he says on instinct, ‘if you’re going to be there…’

‘I am,’ says Veronica, sitting up a little straighter. ‘I am definitely going.’

‘Well I’m there,’ says Jughead and he’s rewarded with a breathtaking smile from Veronica.

His heart skips a beat.

He doesn’t know what to make of that.

_I’m here, I’m yours for the taking..._

* * *

‘They’re so cute,’ Cheryl says, smiling at Jughead and Veronica as if she’s talking about her five year old children. ‘We’re definitely making progress.’

Sweet Pea snorts. ‘They haven’t even kissed yet. Or admitted that they like each other. Or done anything remotely out of their usual routines. Some progress we’re making.’

Cheryl smirks. ‘Jughead’s going to the Christmas Eve party.’

‘No he’s not,’ says Sweet Pea, looking confused. ‘Jones hates those things.’

‘Just you wait and see,’ replies Cheryl. ‘Veronica’s going to make a sad face and he’s going to cave.’

Sweet Pea narrows his eyes. ‘Do you want to bet on that?’

‘Absolutely,’ says Cheryl. ‘I like taking your money Sweets. Ten bucks says that Jughead’s going to that party.’

‘You’re on,’ says Sweet Pea. 

Cheryl smiles. Everything is falling into place.

* * *

‘So,’ says Veronica. ‘How’s writing going?’

Jughead’s face falls. ‘It’s not going at all.’

‘It’s not?’ Veronica asks. She’s always thought of Jughead as writing - every-time she’s conjured up an image of him in her mind he’s wearing his stupid beanie and hunkered down over his keyboard, writing like he’s running out of time. It makes no sense for him to not be writing - to not have something to say. 

‘Nope,’ says Jughead, popping the ‘p’. ‘Not since Archie texted me about wanting to propose to Betty.’

‘Oh,’ says Veronica, and she feels a little stab of envy towards Betty and Archie. She and Jughead are here, in New York, as far away from Riverdale as you can possibly get, and yet the memories still haunt them, impact them, change their routines. She almost wishes that she could go back to when she’d never heard of Riverdale, never met Betty Cooper and Archie Andrews, never had Jughead Jones the Third jump into the booth beside her.

Sometimes she thinks that if she had the chance, she would go back and do everything all over again. 

But she can’t. And for better or worse she’s here, in a dingy New York bar, listening to the boy who might now be her best friend. 

It’s not exactly where she pictured herself. But she doesn’t mind it either, because sitting here, with Jughead, with Michael Buble crooning softly through the speakers, she feels safe, at home, and surrounded by those who love her.

She’s _okay_. 

_They call it the season of giving..._

* * *

‘So Jones,’ says Sweet Pea when Jughead comes to get a refill. ‘You rethought your stance on the Christmas Eve party?’

‘As a matter of fact,’ says Jughead, choosing to ignore the triumphant glance that Cheryl throws Sweet Pea. ‘I am indeed going.’

He takes the drinks back to the table. The last thing he hears is Cheryl declaring that Sweet Pea owes her ten dollars. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Michael Buble guys. I really, really do. Can you tell? 😉


	3. step three: expect the plan to go off the rails

The next phase of their Christmas miracle is to get to Veronica and Jughead to kiss. The hope is that this kiss will lead to the admitting of certain feelings.

Toni instructs Sweet Pea to hang the mistletoe just so. ‘It has to be perfect,’ she says. ‘They have to think that we had nothing to do with this.’

Sweet Pea gives her a funny look. ‘You don’t think they’ll thank us when they eventually find out?’

‘Well _probably_ ,’ says Toni. ‘It is Christmas, after all.’

She just hopes that whatever they do will be enough. 

* * *

They get Jughead and Veronica in the bar together around mid afternoon on the twenty-third of December. Cheryl is running errands, but she texts Toni the precise instructions of what needs to happen. 

Toni is more than happy to follow through - Jughead’s been pining all morning at the bar and Veronica, for some unknown reason is walking the fine line between ecstatic and uptight. 

She signals Sweet Pea to get into position. They’d chosen him to point out the mistletoe because Cheryl had argued that he was the most obnoxious, and therefore neither of their targets would suspect anything out of the ordinary - or that the mistletoe had been very deliberately planted. Fangs and Kevin linger behind the bar with Toni, pretending to be interested in their phones. 

Sweet Pea laughs the fakest laugh that Toni has ever heard in her life. ‘Well, well, well,’ he says, sitting down next to Jughead and Veronica. ‘Look who’s under the mistletoe.’

The reaction is instantaneous. Jughead jerks his head upwards - presumably to suss out the mistletoe, while Veronica glares at Sweet Pea with a look that could cut glass.

‘Seriously, Sweet Pea?’ she asks, but Sweet Pea is too busy being smug to pay attention to her. Jughead’s looking up at the mistletoe with a shell shocked look on his face - Toni briefly considers dumping his drink over his head to snap him out of it. 

‘You have to kiss Lodge,’ Sweet Pea mock whispers. ‘Can you handle it Jones?’

Beside him, Veronica sighs. ‘He doesn’t have to ‘handle’ anything, because we’re not doing it.’

‘It’s bad luck to be under mistletoe and not kiss the person you’re under it with,’ replies Sweet Pea, but he throws Toni a desperate glance - he’s spiralling, and Jughead’s _still_ staring at the ceiling. 

‘Come on guys,’ says Toni. ‘I need only positive energy in this bar.’

‘Veronica doesn’t have to kiss me,’ snaps Jughead, levelling Sweet Pea with a glare. ‘No one has to kiss anyone.’

Sweet Pea rolls his eyes. ‘It’s just a kiss. Stop being a wuss Jones. Lodge - I expected better from you.’ 

‘Fine,’ snaps Veronica. ‘Jughead, come here.’

‘Why do I have to come to you?’ Jughead asks, sounding like a petulant child. Toni bites back a groan as her phone buzzes beside her. Will these two idiots ever figure out that they’re meant to be together?

It’s a text from Cheryl. It reads: _ABORT_.

Toni frowns. _what do you mean?_ She types, shaking her head. _we’re about to have real results!_

 _BETTY AND ARCHIE ARE HERE. I REPEAT, BETTY AND ARCHIE ARE HERE_.

Toni’s blood runs cold. Veronica and Jughead are still bickering under the mistletoe. Fangs and Sweet Pea look decidedly bored. Kevin appears to be taking selfies. 

‘Guys,’ she says. ‘You really don’t have to do this.’

On cue, Sweet Pea, Fangs and Kevin swing around to look at her, annoyed and maybe a little bit fed up.

‘What are you doing?’ Sweet Pea hisses. 

Toni gestures with her phone towards the door. ‘Betty and Archie are en route,’ she says, and watches as Kevin pales. Fangs and Sweet Pea exchange glances. 

Behind them, Veronica and Jughead are still arguing, and Toni watches, in what feels like slow motion, as Veronica grabs Jughead and pulls him down so that their lips can meet.

And then something happens. They _melt_ into the kiss. One of Jughead’s arms goes around Veronica’s waist, pulling her into him, the other cups her face. Veronica’s got both arms around his neck, stretching up on tiptoes to meet him halfway.

Toni, Sweet Pea, Fangs and Kevin stare. Jughead and Veronica are in perfect synchronisation, kissing without a care in the world, as if they’ve forgotten that there are people in the bar, that there are other people in the world besides them.

The door to the bar flies open, and Cheryl rushes in, hair flying wildly, cheeks red from the cold. ‘What are you doing?’ she snaps, and then sees the sight of Veronica and Jughead, who are by some miracle _still_ kissing.

‘It worked?’ gasps Cheryl, seemingly forgetting her plight. ‘This is incredible!’

The door to the bar flies open again, and Toni turns to see Betty Cooper waltz in. She looks older, more mature, blonde hair in an elegant twist and minimal makeup. Her arm is threaded through her fiancé's, engagement ring on prominent display. Archie Andrews hasn’t changed much, Toni thinks - still the same old small town boy with big town dreams.

And then she remembers what’s happening behind her.

Cheryl, caught up in the wondrous experience of pulling off an almost impossible plan, doesn’t realise until it’s too late. She makes a move to step in front of the happy couple, but Betty gives her a look that says ‘what’s going on?’ and sees the _other_ happy couple over Cheryl’s shoulder.

The bar falls silent. Somehow, Jughead and Veronica remain completely unbothered by the changed atmosphere - still clinging to each other and _still_ kissing.

‘I only wanted a kiss under the mistletoe!’ wails Cheryl softly in Toni’s ear. ‘I didn’t want a full make-out session!’

Toni wraps an arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders as Betty coughs loudly, not looking the slightest bit amused.

It makes no difference. Veronica and Jughead are still completely and utterly wrapped up in kissing each other.

Betty growls. ‘Jughead Jones the Third!’ she yells, and only that is enough to shake Jughead and Veronica out of their mistletoe make-out session. 

Toni can feel Cheryl’s plan go down the drain at the look on Betty’s face. At this rate Jughead and Veronica will be so traumatised that they’ll never look at each other again. 

‘What the hell is going on?’ Betty says, and beside her, Archie places a calming hand on her arm. 

Jughead is frozen. Veronica is shellshocked. They turn to each other. Turn back to Betty and Archie. Veronica’s lipstick is smudged - Jughead’s got it smeared on his mouth.

Together, they silently point upwards, where Sweet Pea hung the mistletoe.

‘Right,’ says Betty, voice like ice. ‘Of course.’

Toni swallows. 

So much for a Christmas miracle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the plot thickens!!


	4. step four: throw away the plan

The aftermath of Jughead’s second kiss with Veronica can be described as this: awe-inspiring, utterly breathtaking, with his ex-girlfriend turning up in the afterglow.

It has not been a good day for Jughead Jones the Third. He’s not written anything good in weeks. He’s just kissed the girl of his dreams - and just when he’s finally admitted to himself that she _is_ the girl of his dreams, his ex-girlfriend and her new fiance, also known as _his_ best friend turn up out of the blue to stand around and look at Jughead as if he’s disappointed them.

Suffice to say, he’s a little bit fed up. 

Still, he’s happy to see Archie, at least. 

‘You could’ve called,’ Jughead says, when Archie settles into a seat beside him at the bar. ‘You know, told us you were coming.’

So maybe not as happy as he’d thought.

‘You could have texted me back,’ says Archie.

Jughead doesn’t answer.

‘I made excuses to myself for you,’ continues Archie. ‘I thought that maybe you still had feelings for Betty - and that was why you couldn’t bring yourself to give us your blessing. And I figured that in time you would come to accept us and even be happy for us.’

Archie takes a breath. ‘But when I walked in, I thought I would see you drinking at the bar, not surgically attached to the lips of Betty’s best friend. I thought that this whole time you were angry at me for moving on with your ‘soulmate’, but that’s not it, is it? You just don’t care about who you hurt, as long as you get to write everything down and include it in your story. Tell me Jughead, do you even really like Veronica, or did you just see her as another on of your plot devices-’

‘Shut up.’ Jughead’s voice is cold - he’s never heard it sound like that before. ‘You seriously don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Don’t I?’ asks Archie, and Jughead’s never heard him sound this mad before. ‘Why did you text back, Jug? Why didn’t you do something, _anything_? Why did I have to come all the way to New York to actually get an explanation out of you?’

‘Because I’m a coward, Arch,’ Jughead says. ‘I didn’t text you back because I wanted to pretend that you and Betty weren’t a real thing. Because if I can think that, then I can pretend that I still have a chance with Betty. And I can pretend that I still have a chance with Betty, that means that I don’t have to take other chances.’

Archie is silent. Then: ‘You like her. Veronica.’

And Jughead finally says that one special word aloud, the one he’s been denying ever since he first got Archie’s text and wondered why he felt _happy_ about the proposal.

‘Yes,’ he says.

* * *

Betty is quiet. Veronica tries not to dwell on that fact too much. 

‘I’m sorry,’ she tries, but Betty only shakes her head.

‘You have nothing to be sorry about,’ she says. ‘ _I’m_ the one who should be sorry. I barged in here acting like Jughead and I were still dating.’

‘You don’t have to be sorry-’ Veronica starts, but Betty shakes her head.

‘If you want to date Jughead,’ she says, ‘I’m not going to be the one to stop you. In fact, I encourage it. Toni’s always said that you two would be good together. I’m starting to think that maybe she’s right.’

‘Thanks B,’ Veronica replies, even though she doesn’t even know if she likes Jughead that way. Yes, that kiss had been...something else, but Veronica doesn’t know how he feels. And how can she admit to something when she’s not even sure he feels the same way? 

Still, she’s glad to have her best friend back, even if it’s only for a little while. 

* * *

Christmas Eve dawns bright and clear. Jughead avoids getting ready for the party until the very last minute. Even then, he’s pessimistic. How can he face Veronica after what he’s admitted to himself, even if it’s only in secret?

 _Maybe you could tell her you’re sick_ , he thinks. 

But no. He promised to go. 

And so he will go. For Veronica. 

And maybe he won’t be a coward anymore.

* * *

Alternatively, Veronica spends far too much time getting ready for the party. The dress she’d picked out with Kevin and Cheryl lies ready and waiting on her bed, and when she finally puts it on she feels like a princess. 

This whole thing feels like a fairytale. 

Except the fact that she still doesn’t know what Jughead feels for her - if he even feels anything. 

There is a knock at the door. Veronica gives herself a quick once over in the mirror, smooths her hair and goes to answer it.

Jughead is standing there. Veronica watches his eyes go wide when he sees her.

Maybe she’s not alone in her feelings. 

‘Hey,’ he says. ‘You look _stunning_.’

‘Thank you,’ she replies, feeling a little smug. 

‘I,’ he says, and breaks off. ‘Can we talk?’

Veronica grabs her purse. ‘Sure.’

What does she have to lose? It’s Christmas, after all.

* * *

They go for a walk. Jughead’s nervous - more nervous than he’s ever been in his life. 

_Just say it_ , he thinks. _Just say it_.

‘Something on your mind, Torombolo?’ Veronica asks, and Jughead almost laughs. If anything, too much is on his mind.

 _Just say it_.

‘I like you,’ he says, and Veronica stops short.

‘What did you just say?’ she asks, and her voice is shaking a little. 

‘I like you,’ says Jughead again, and he feels better now that it’s off his chest. ‘I really, really like you.’

‘Oh God,’ says Veronica, and for a moment Jughead’s afraid that he’s done something terribly, incredibly wrong. 

But then: ‘I like you too,’ whispers Veronica.

‘You do?’ he asks.

‘I do,’ she smiles.

And then Jughead does the bravest thing he’s ever done in his life - braver than standing up to Penny Peabody, braver than leading the Serpents - he leans down and kisses Veronica Lodge.

And Veronica Lodge kisses him back.

* * *

They’ve been wandering around the courtyard for at least half an hour, hands and arms intertwined. 

‘Do you want to ditch the party?’ Veronica finally asks, and Jughead smiles and pulls her closer.

‘I don’t really care where we go,’ he murmurs, ‘as long as I’m with you.’

He pauses. ‘I just realised how cheesy that sounded.’

‘It’s okay,’ Veronica smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘I liked it.’

They sway to the music - Michael Buble is playing throughout the courtyard, and Jughead sings along as Veronica rests her head on his shoulder. 

_I want something that lasts forever, so kiss me on this cold December night…_

It’s a Christmas miracle, Jughead realises.

And at the very least, it cures his writer’s block. 


	5. step five: hope for a miracle instead

‘So,’ says Veronica, smirking at Jughead across the table.

‘So,’ he replies. 

‘Are we doing this?’

‘Do you want to?’

‘Do _you_ want to?’

They say yes at the same time. 

In front of them, Toni gives a quizzical look. ‘Yes to what?’

Veronica threads her hand through Jughead’s. ‘It looks like Jughead Jones the Third just officially said yes to being my boyfriend.’

‘And it looks like Veronica Lodge just officially said yes to being my girlfriend,’ smiles Jughead.

Toni drops the glass she’s holding. ‘ _What_?’

‘We’re dating!’ Veronica squeals.

‘Oh thank God!’ Toni exclaims. ‘I have to go call Cheryl!’

Veronica shrugs at Jughead. ‘I wonder what that was about.’

‘It’s probably what they were plotting this entire time,’ he answers, smirking at her. 

‘Really?’ says Veronica, sipping her hot chocolate carefully. ‘You think they’ve been arranging mistletoe in places we would sit and hoping that Sweet Pea would annoy us into kissing- that’s exactly what they did.’

‘Yeah,’ says Jughead frowning. ‘It’s in poor taste, if you think about it.’

‘Oh lighten up Torombolo,’ Veronica chastises. ‘They meant well.’

‘They always do.’

Behind them, Cheryl has arrived, joining Toni at the bar. Shaking their heads, Veronica and Jughead make their way to a booth. This time they’re sitting on the same side. 

Jughead’s smiling, and so Veronica smiles back. 

‘It’s Christmas, Jughead Jones,’ she whispers. ‘Miracles happen.’

‘I have living proof of that right here in my arms,’ he says, and she scrunches her nose up.

‘That was cheesy.’

‘It’s Christmas, Veronica Lodge,’ he smiles. ‘I’m allowed to be cheesy.’

At the bar, Cheryl and Toni watch on, secure in the fact that they have created a Christmas miracle. In fact, Cheryl looks fit to burst.

Outside, Fangs and Sweet Pea duck Kevin’s snowballs as the three of them play like children, each of them happy and content in the lives that they have created.

In Riverdale, Betty and Archie sift through wedding magazines, fulfilled just by having each other. 

Jughead and Veronica stay on, late into the night, finally at peace.

_They call it the season of giving, I’m here, I’m yours…_

* * *

Later, Sweet Pea sidles up to Cheryl smirking. 

‘Jones never ended up going to that party,’ he says. 

Suffice to say, he leaves the bar with an extra ten dollars that day. 

It is, perhaps, the _real_ Christmas miracle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s all folks! 🎄Merry Christmas!🎄


End file.
